Hi, I am new here & not sure I’m in the right section but just to say I’m 46 & 3 weeks ago I found a small hard lump in one of my breasts. I then had a mammogram & ultrasound & was told there were areas of calcification on both breasts & graded M3. They thought the lump was a fatty necrosis. I was then called in for a View Mammogram & was in yesterday & was quite surprised to have 6 biopsies in one breast & 11 in the other. I now have to wait for the biopsies & due another scan on the suspected fatty necrosis. I’d never had a mammogram prior to all this. Anyone else been in a similar situation? Wishing you all the best in this journey.
3 Likes
Hi! I’m sorry, I can’t offer anything useful, but I wanted to reply because I know how hard it is to put yourself out there (on here), and get no response!
It sounds like a scary and uncertain position to be in, and waiting for results is so hard. Hopefully it won’t take long! I was 3 weeks, I think, from biopsies to consultant.
Hopefully, you’ll find support on here, and from your medical people, if you need it. Even more hopefully, you won’t need it!
Xxx
2 Likes
glad you’ve reached out on here but sorry you’ve found yourself here amid post in ask the nurse bit and also phone the number on here and speak to a nurse please hold onto you do not have breast cancer till a professional tells you, you have breast cancer. Your team are being very thorough in checking you over which is very good do reach out as much as you need to on here 
while you are waiting your results bcn is here for you 
Shi xx
2 Likes
Hi Polly,
I can’t be if too much help as I’m waiting results myself but I know that the wait is like slow mental torture.
I noticed a dent in left breast, I had ultrasound scan and mammogram on 2nd Aug. Biopsies were taken with the ultrasound as there was a growth at front of breast and enlarged lymph nodes.
I was brought back on 15th Aug and told I have stage three, grade two breast cancer. I had to return on 22nd for mammogram biopsy and six were taken. I’m still waiting for the results.
I had a CT scan today and could take a week or so for results. Then I have a bone scan on 9th Sept.
I have been completely floored with the diagnosis. I’m 46 with three children and I won’t lie, I am terrified. I don’t know what treatment I will be offered but I just want to get out the other side.
I know how awful it is to wait in results- I’m still in that space. I know I have cancer but I don’t know if it has spread further than lymph nodes and I’m really scared. Every pain I feel, my mind goes into overdrive.
I’m trying to be positive, sometimes it’s really difficult. I hope you can manage to be positive. I’m happy to chat and support you in anyway I can. This forum has been amazing. So much advice available xo
3 Likes
@pollyw Hi, I’ve been there and I can only say it’s terrifying but there are so many new treatments…and as @sam3 I was diagnosed at 43 years old with very advanced and invasive stage 3, grade 2, ER8, PR8 lobular BC. Unfortunately, it has spread to the lymph nodes - I had 3 positive. Similar to you @pollyw I never had a mammogram before and was also petrified. They did breast MRI never had that before when you lie on your tummy and put your breasts in some kind of cages is the only thing I can describe it. Lobular BC is a totally different kind of BC - I didn’t even have a lump…and everything that was happening to me it felt like out of this world…Like I was seeing myself having all these tests but it wasn’t me really…I think the brain has a very clever ways of self-preservation…
So yeah at the end I had 3 surgeries, 6 months of gruelling chemo, 15 RT sessions, 2 years of Abemaciclib, 7 years of Letrozole (I still got 4.5 years to go), 3 years of Zoledronic acid (last one in October), 3 monthly Prostap injections - oh yeah that’s another whole story. They put me into medically induced menopause…it’s been worse than having chemo for me personally…I hate hate hate the menopause!!!
I also have two kids and they really had a very hard time after Covid, my cancer diagnosis and my husband’s MS diagnosis a year after mine…
But what I wanted to say 3 years on…I had my cancerversary on the 2nd of July is that it gets better…
Wishing you all the best. Take care. Xxx
3 Likes
Hi pollyw
So sorry you are in this position, it’s the toughest part for sure. I am 46 too and was diagnosed in February after finding a lump in my armpit area. The lump was nothing but turned out I had cancer in my other boob. I’d had a biopsy in the same place 20 years ago on a cyst so assumed that is what had been found when I was examined so the diagnosis was a shock. I’d never had a mammogram before either but now have had plenty!
The waiting for results and then for surgery was awful. Surgery was delayed a couple of times for various reasons including more biopsies which was excruciating but finally had this in April. A lumpectomy found Grade 2 IDC, 2 x Grade 1 IDC and intermediate DCIS, ER+/HER-. Thankfully all the cancer was removed and all four nodes clear. I’ve had 5 days radiotherapy and been taking Tamoxifen for two months, no major issues with either. I would say from my experience that the treatment has been a breeze in comparison to the waiting. When I was in your position I genuinely thought life would never be the same again and cancer would be the only thing I would ever think about again but it rarely crosses my mind and life is, dare I say it, better than ever.
Until you know for sure it may not be cancer. But, if it is, I guarantee you will feel better once you have your treatment plan and know what is happening.
Best of luck with everything. x
1 Like
Hi, wow- it just sounds like an absolutely gruelling cycle!! I really don’t know what’s going to happen with me. I don’t know about you guys but I am really wrestling with my mind, in terms of pain and discomfort I’m feeling. I have a discomfort in upper right abdomen and also my left shoulder. These weren’t things that I feel I was aware of before my diagnosis. I’m very aware of them now and worried sick incase my cancer has spread. I won’t have scan results for another week or two. I’m trying to get my head around the whole stage 3 thing. I keep reading things that really make me worry about the stage it’s at. I just want to be around for my kids. Has all of this treatment become the norm for you now? I feel like I won’t know who I am anymore and I really don’t want it all to be about cancer. I’m trying to read up on diet changes etc to help me feel like I can do something to help myself- I get a little bit of positivity and then it’s shattered when I read other things 
xo
2 Likes
Sam3 the whole thing felt like going into a chrysalis and coming out as a butterfly and you will put your jigsaw puzzle pieces of you back together bit by bit you might find you are a different you, it certainly changed me not just physically but mentally too but day by day and step by step you will reclaim you Shi xx
Thank you so much for your reply I wish these niggling pains would disappear. I know I’m jumping to worse case scenario but it’s so hard not to. I’m so worried they are going to tell me it has spread and that’s why I feel this in the area of my liver and left shoulder. Xo
1 Like
Hi @sam3 Yes, it was a very hard sometimes to just keep going but what actually kept me persevering to go onto the next step and the next step, etc. is the thought of seeing my children’s children…
When you have the plan for your treatment you will feel much better… actually the worst feeling is when the treatment finishes…
I couldn’t believe myself when on the last cycle of my chemo I was crying my eyes out and honestly, I didn’t want it to finish…weird right…but I was thinking what is killing the cancer now and after I started Abemaciclib and it was really horrendous; the symptoms were worst than chemo for me but now that I finished it am again at a very low point in my cancer journey…
So yeah we need to stay positive, and keep on going…as what else can we do…
Resilience resilience resilience… abundance of it!!!
Wishing you all the best and please please don’t overthink before you know for sure what it is…remember your thoughts are not facts!!!
Take care. Xxx
1 Like
Thank you! So what is your treatment plan/length going forward? I hope that you don’t have to linger in this low point of treatment 
Although I haven’t started treatment, I think I understand what you mean about your reluctance for chemo to finish.
Yes, it’s the thought of being here for my children that makes me determined to get through this awful journey. But I think because I feel so ‘not in control’ that I’m very aware that ultimately- that’s not up to me. I’m a worrier by nature so I’m really struggling to keep my chin up. I’m trying to always be upbeat around the kids though.
Thank you so much for your words- I need to retain that- THOUGHTS ARE NOT FACTS!! xo
2 Likes
@sam3 my plan is to be on Letrozole for another 4.5 years… With regular mammograms and the odd MRI. I am also hoping to get on a trial at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford (TRACK-ER). My oncologist promised that when I finished Abemaciclib he will enroll me as unfortunately, I am the perfect candidate.
https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/trak-er
I am worrier like you and giving up control was very hard so I understand how you feel. Though, I was always advocating for myself and asking lots of questions. My oncologist wasn’t very happy with me but who else will stand up for us… It’s good to have someone with you at the appointments as sometimes you can miss something…and always be prepared like with what you want to ask. Write your questions in advance and prioritise them…it’s really helpful as in this way you feel a bit in control too…it’s our lives, our bodies…
I am really worried now about being on my own and checking myself for secondary BC symptoms…so monitoring is really important for me…the trial I mentioned is about having regular blood tests for the circulating tumor DNA…as when you catch it on CT or MRI is already too big…like the resolution is 4-5mm if you know what I mean…
Counselling really helped me dealing with a lot of things and also I’ve been trying to do mindfulness but am not very successful at it… though, I will keep trying!!
Take care. Wishing you all the best for the future. Xxx
1 Like
Hi, that sounds promising - I hope you get in that trial asap! It would hopefully give you the reassurance you need to take your life back. I will take any help possible and if I had chance to monitor to catch it super early- I’d be on it!!
Im not great at processing information at the best of times so I’m completely swamped with all of the things I now need to think about.
I wish I could sleep my way through things. My fear is that the scans will show spread. I’m not in awful pain, it’s literally more slight discomfort but I don’t know what is causing it and in my mind, I’m worried scancer.
I feel like my whole life has been put on hold. I’m worried about what I eat, drink, that I don’t rest enough. I’m also worried about making plans cause I’m afraid incase I won’t be able to see them through. We are in process of buying a new house but I’m scared I won’t get to be in it for long (so morbid I know). So I can’t get excited about moving- I just want to hide.
Sending big hugs and love to you xo
2 Likes
@sam3 I totally get it. I got my diagnosis on my daughter’s year 11 prom so yeah I had to put on my brave face and we always always kept positive because of our kids with my husband.
But on her year 13 prom it was different kind of feeling and yes, we put our lifes on hold but I can tell you that it gets better…we are currently on hols in Spain. I can go in the water with my prosthesis and everything seems back to some sort of ‘normality’…I do not want to jinx it but believe you me it gets easier and I am the to do list person and one that books all of our holidays on boxing day…so it was very hard not to plan for a few years but let me tell you my diary was full of medical appointments so yeah…keep a journal or just write your thoughts it doesn’t need to be a proper journaling…you can just scribble how you felt on that particular day and for example about your symptoms you can put the date when you noticed it first and in two weeks you can revisit them and they might have disappeared…
I think I will always remember how the surgeon called me on that hot July day in 2021 and my daughter was getting her hair and nails done but honestly, life goes on and I think moving houses can be a good distraction…maybe…
All the best and please do keep in touch to let us know how you get on. Xxx
1 Like
Thank you so much! I hope you have an amazing holiday with your family- there is no doubt you all deserve it! Relax as much as you can! 
I’m in a tizzy with the stage 3 and searching for reassuring stories. I’m going to drive myself mad!
I’m glad that you are feeling in a much better place now, long may that continue and get even better
My children are 15,14 and 10. They all need me in different ways so I don’t want to go anywhere! I really hope I can give a more positive update soon 
xo
2 Likes
Thank you for your kind words @sam3. I was stage 3, with 3 lymph nodes involved out of 34 taken and a very big tumor 12.5cm. Mine was very advanced and invasive lobular mulitfocal BC and yes, you can get very muddled up with reading everything on the Internet…
There are different stages when you say stage 3 you can find out there are stage 3a, 3b, 3c if I remember correctly.
My daughter is 20 in October; she is at university (second year) and my son is 15, starting year 11 next week so yeah they all need me and I am absolutely determined that I will be staying here on earth with them for the foreseeable future…
There are so many new treatments and different trials to get onto - like the one I mentioned and honestly I know people with secondary breast cancer taking Abemaciclib and their mets are not growing any more…so there is always HOPE!!!
You are in my thoughts:pray:
please try not to fixate on stage and grade of anything everyone’s different and reacts differently to treatments you just do your best as we all know you will, through the 
and the 
and the 
the little victories you must celebrate through everything and the 
when you’ll think you’ve gone like a nutter bcn is here for you, we all are step by step, treatment at a time, and remember treatments plan can change along the way because it will be specifically tailored to you Shi xx
1 Like
Thank you again Shi I think I’ve gone through the butter stage at least 359 times in last couple of weeks!! I am probably being a torture with all these questions that, I know nobody can answer! I will do what I can to give myself the best chance of getting through this. I am so glad to have this community of people to lean on Mr Amazon loves me- I’ve ordered so many books to try to help me shake up my diet! 
What are your thoughts on diet changes?
Thank you for just being so reassuring and throwing a positive light into the dark corners that are my mind at the minute!
Sending big hugs xo
1 Like
Thank you- that is very reassuring and inspiring. Hmm- I need to check if I am a, b or c- I can’t recall
This life certainly is 
so much of the time but there is so much I want to live for.
My wee brother died 3yrs ago and my dad died almost 8 months ago- I keep asking them to give me a hand out here 
I hope they can. My dad was the strongest most stubborn person I’ve ever known. I hope he has passed some of those things to me because they are needed!
Much love xo
2 Likes
Oh I am so sorry to hear that please accept my deepest condolences…
Yes, life is a bitch but we need to stay strong and keep fighting even though I don’t like that word…
Sending lots of love
1 Like